The Maharashtra government on Friday told the Supreme Court that it has decided to hand over to CBI the probe into the Palghar lynching case wherein two Sadhus were lynched to death.
A bench of Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Justice PS Narasimha disposed of the plea seeking a CBI probe into the 2020 Palgarh lynching case.
At the outset, the counsel appearing for the government said, “The state government will hand over the investigation to the CBI.”
Noting that no further direction was required from the court on the issue, the bench disposed of the case.
Earlier, the apex court had asked the Maharashtra government to file an affidavit before it stating that it is referring to the investigation. It told the Maharashtra government that when the State has no objection to transferring the Palgarh lynching case to the CBI, it can refer the case to the agency itself.
Maharashtra government had told the apex court that it has consented to the investigation by the CBI into the case.
A batch of pleas was filed in the top court seeking for a probe by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) or CBI into the Palghar lynching case wherein two Sadhus were lynched to death.
The pleas were seeking a CBI or a court-monitored Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe in the incident that took place in Palghar district.
Maharashtra government had earlier informed Supreme Court that all guilty police officials have been punished or suspended from services
The pleas have also sought a probe by the CBI and the registration of an FIR against police officials for their alleged failure to prevent the mob from gathering in violation of the lockdown norms.
On the night of April 16, 2020, the two sadhus and their driver were travelling from Kandivali in Mumbai to attend a funeral in Gujarat’s Surat amid the nationwide lockdown when their vehicle was stopped and they were attacked and killed by a mob in Gadchinchile village in the presence of police officers.
